Lots of interesting discussion and ink has been given lately to establishing a new set of “foundations” for visual arts curriculum.  Dr. Renee Sandell, from George Mason University has used the categories of Form, Theme and Context to develop the FTC Palette, a very effective and inclusive tool to help students understand art.  While initially developed as a way to decode art it has become for my practice part of the foundational principles that I work into every aspect of an art unit. There is more on subsequent pages on how the FTC principles are integrated into my project design and assessments.